Welcome to the Big Apple

In New York City for the third and final leg of their Food Network Star journey, the top-five finalists face their second live challenge of the competition. This time they'll be broadcasting a field story from within Chelsea Market, while the mentors feed them questions about their assigned shop from afar. "If something goes wrong, you cannot edit it out," Bobby tells the rivals.

Confused on Camera

"I don't know anything about yogurt. Cowboys don't really eat yogurt," Lenny admits of his assignment of Sohha Savory Yogurt. He asks the shop's staff numerous questions about their offerings, but he soon begins to ramble. "He didn't have any control of that interview whatsoever," Bobby tells his fellow judges.

Audio Issues

Moments after her interview begins at Manhattan Fruit Exchange, Sarah proclaims, "I've got an echo." She stops and expects the crew to help her, but because this is live television, she's forced to continue. Despite that stumble, she manages to be "funny and spontaneous," according to Giada, on account of her quick on-camera bite of fruit.

Missed Opportunity

Loreal's broadcasting from Dickson's Farmstand Meats, and she realizes: "I’m the Butcher Babe; I better nail it." Despite her high hopes, she stumbles, missing key points to prove her expertise over meat. "Why did she choose that pork?" Giada wonders. "This should have been a slam dunk for her," Bobby adds.

Vast Improvement

"I went home before for bad presentation in front of the camera. That is not going to happen again," Luca promises. Indeed he delivers a "charming" presentation from The Lobster Place, according to Bobby. Alton notes, "He maintained constant contact with the camera."

Great Point

Not only does Nicole appear comfortable on camera, but she also includes a smart bit of knowledge about the ice cream at Ronnybrook Milk Bar, which earns her the advantage of deciding which families she and her rivals will be cooking for on the upcoming challenge at The Rachael Ray Show.

Historical Knowledge

At The Rachael Ray Show, finalists must make a dish to help their assigned family's dinnertime struggles. Luca considers himself lucky to have been tasked with creating a veggie-packed menu for kids, as he notes that his sister was once a picky eater. He follows his mom's trick of treating pureed cauliflower like risotto and serving it with Bolognese sauce.

Meat Miss

It's up to Loreal to devise a grab-and-go option, and she works on chicken stuffed with mushrooms and asparagus. "This is too many steps. I don’t see them doing this," Giada notes of Loreal's preparation for the family. As far as taste, it's ultimately not any better, as Alton deems the dish "bland and dry."

Mixed Results

Sarah's making taco soup, and while Bobby notes that "this would be a good thing to serve a family," Sarah fails to connect with the kids during her demo on Rachael's show. "She didn't engage the audience. She didn't engage the kids," Giada says.

Cooking Without Kids in Mind

Although Nicole "seems [like] herself" on stage, according to Alton, the situation turns sour when one of the children for whom she's cooked spits out her dish of shrimp lettuce wraps. "The dish itself — I like it. But it's just not doable for this family," Giada says of Nicole's too-spicy offering.

"Wardrobe Malfunction"

"I just ripped my pants," Lenny admits of what's happening to him during his demo. "I need to act like nothing's wrong and push through like a champion." He succeeds in this, delivering "a really good dish," according to Bobby, who adds, "I think that he really answered all the questions that [the family] had."

Better, Still

"You continue on your track of most improved," Alton tells Luca after noting that Luca's done "his best job yet" and has presented "a thoughtful dish." Although Luca failed to define Bolognese, his story is relatable and he "filled the room."

Not Right

"There were a fair amount of things and the procedure that just didn't make a lot of sense," Alton tells Loreal, who acknowledges that she's missed chances to prove what she knows. "I think you've built a career doing something, but not teaching or being able to talk about it."

Loreal's Goodbye

After Luca and Lenny advance to next week's penultimate episode, Sarah, Loreal and Nicole face potential elimination. It's Loreal, however, who's sent home, after Alton explains, "She does not have a critical piece of the skill set, which is the ability to talk about what she does."